Episodes

It’s been a few weeks since we’ve released an episode because you know…….LIFE! Let me just tell ya, homeschooling/virtual learning with elementary age children is NO EASY FEAT! Chile!!! I’m struggling over here. In this short bonus episode I share the struggle with y’all and invite you help Natty and I level up by answering a few questions to help us better support you. It only takes about two minutes to complete our short questionnaire about what you want Shades of Strong to look like for you....

In this week’s minisode of Black from the Past™ we’re shining a light on the breathtakingly beautiful and amazingly talented Phyllis Hyman. Phyliss Hyman was a Philadelphia native best known for her contributions to the music world during the late 1970s through the early 1990s. She had this sultry, velvety and smokey gorgeous voice that absolutely could not be mistaken. In her own words, she liked songs that talked about the the emotional side of people, which is evident in her album, Living All...

Welcome to the very first minisode in our Black from the Past™ series. Black from the Past™ is our contribution to preserving and normalizing Black history. Here’s where we shine a light on Black women who are often forgotten, but have most certainly made an impact on the Black female culture. Today’s spotlight is shinning bright on Margaret Garner, who in one heart wrenching moment slit the throat of her 2-year-old daughter rather than return her to slavery. Tune in to hear an account of Margar...

The sexualization of Black women and girls has its roots in slavery and racism and heavily contributes to rape culture internally and externally. And to add insult to injury, mainstream media has been oversexualizing the Black female body for years, for CENTURIES. Well, y’all know Natty and I are ALWAYS down for a good session of disrupting the madness because… We are of the belief that Black women should be able to wear whatever they want with all the curves they have without being objectified....

Hey y’all! What is up! What is happening! We are back and we are ready to get back to dropping the dopeness and realness that is Shades of Strong episodes. We appreciate your patience AND loyalty as we took some time to rest, regroup, and strategize for the remainder of the season. In this episode Natty and I tell you what we’ve been up during the hiatus and recap what we have planned for the Shades of Strong movement moving forward. Here a few things we chatted about: Natty’s new journaling cl...

Black people are still our here fighting for the right to JUST BE — you know ALIVE. And I’m here for ALL OF IT! I’m happy to see so many Black People on the front lines fighting against racism even while we’re in the middle of a global pandemic. A number of changes have already taken place because Black People are refusing to be silent. We are demanding to be seen and heard. But, here’s the deal. Although I recognize that PAUSING FOR THE CAUSE is essential for change to happen, I also recognize...

People-pleasing is a habit that we’ve all fallen prey to at some point in our lives. It is the act of pleasing other people instead of doing the things that we know will make us happy or the things that will bring us peace. People pleasing wears many faces, but the one we’re undoubtedly most familiar with is saying yes when we REALLY want to say no, even when we know we’re already stretched beyond capacity. But did you know that people pleasing comes out of a perfectionist mindset, AND that the ...

Knowing exactly when slavery started may be something we will never know, but research has shown that enslaved Africans arrived in North America as early as the fifteen hundreds However, history books have taught us that 1619 was the year slavery started in America. This was the year when approximately twenty Africans arrived on a ship to Jamestown and thus began the horrific reality of four hundred years of slavery. On July 2nd 1776, the Declaration of Independence was signed declaring the thir...

It’s been nearly three months since the brutal murder of Breonna Taylor & all we have is a total disregard for Black life & an incident report filled with lies. Is it not enough that Breonna Taylor was shot EIGHT times while sleeping in what was supposed to be the safety of her OWN HOME? Is it not enough that the city of Louisville has been and STILL is extremely elusive and downright dishonest about the circumstances surrounding the death of Breonna Taylor? Is it not enough that the life of a 2...

Thanks to social media and the news that seems to be broadcasting 24/7, we’re constantly inundated with horrific headlines painting vivid pictures of one tragedy after another, making it is super easy for us to fall into a space of hopelessness. I get it! Natty and I were there too. But, thanks to our good friend, Ife Madzimoyo who came through with some words of encouragement, we are reminded that hope is ever present and change is happening right before eyes. In other words, THE REVOLUTION IS ...

With so much happening in the world, it’s super easy to feel helpless, and maybe even hopeless, especially if you’re not out protesting. As podcasters, we have platforms where we can speak out against racism and police brutality. In this PSA, Natty and I encourage you to be educated, engaged, and to take action. Support the work of activists on the front lines of change, who risk themselves daily to create a better world for us all. Get involved by donating to any of the following: George Floy...

After years of emotional abuse, someone has finally convinced that you need to forgive your offender, let go and move on with your life. And you’ve committed to doing that because forgiveness is for you – not your offender, right? But something is still missing. You’re still not able to get back to that happy place that you once knew because you’re blaming yourself for letting this thing go on for so long. Forgiveness requires a level of specificity that’s often missing on the journey to forgive...

If you enjoyed the previous episode on how we as parents unknowingly pass trauma down to our children, you’ll also enjoy part 2 of the conversation as Shirl and Natty offer tips and strategies on how you keep from passing down trauma and leaving a legacy of pain. SUBSCRIBE. RATE. REVIEW If you enjoyed this or previous episodes, head on over to Apple Podcasts and SUBSCRIBE TO THE SHOW! And if you’re moved to do so, kindly leave us a rating and review. Not sure how to do that? Click HERE for a q...

As Black Women we have a tendency to bury our pain not realizing that it manifests itself in every area of our lives — in romantic relationships, through our relationships with our parents, our children, our siblings, on our jobs, and yes even how we parent our children. Generational curses (generational trauma) are nothing more than unresolved issues and wounds that we pass on to our children and family members. In other words, hurt mothers hurt their children through the transference of toxic ...

TRIGGER WARNING. This episode details one woman’s story of religious trauma and emotional abuse and may be triggering for some. Please proceed with caution. Religious trauma is a condition experienced by those who are struggling with leaving an authoritarian religion and coping with the mental and emotional damage of indoctrination. Janine Maryland is included in that number. She stopped by the virtual studio to share her story with the SOS and fam, and it is by far one of the most most real and...

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? That’s what the world would have you believe, but the reality is …what doesn’t kill you makes you build a wall. Tearing down those walls is what makes you stronger. You gotta tune into this week’s episode as we show you how to tear them down brick by brick. But, we don’t just stop there, we’re giving you a secret hack on how NOT to build the wall. If you need support as you start to peel back the layers, head over to Shades of Strong and leave us...

I really wish I had ended it sooner. I wish we could have made it wok. How could I have been so stupid? Why didn’t I see the signs? Did I even try? Any of this sound familiar? Breakups suck BIG TIME, right? Whether you’re the breakup -er or the breakup -ee, it stings a little… …nah — Scratch that! It stings A LOT. And you just want the pain to go away, right? But, here’s the good news, sis, there is life after the breakup. It may not feel like it while you’re still in the thick of it, but you’l...

Dear single black mom, you DO NOT have to cook and clean and wash everything … … be everything … do everything! Mama, gotta have a life too, right? Before we dive into the cooking and cleaning of it all, how bout we talk about the guilt that often comes with being a single black mom who has little to no help from the child’s dad. Single black moms often find themselves paralyzed with guilt because they don’t have the support of the dad, but today we’re disrupting the madness. If you’re going to ...

We’re taking a break from our regular topic (well kinda sorta) and interrupting this forced pause with a bonus episode to share some words of encouragement on navigating disappointments when life happens unexpectedly. Join us as we talk about how to keep moving when life lets you down.

Not all fatherless black girls come from broken homes and not all fatherless black girls have daddy issues so let’s stop with the stereotypes. When we hear those words, we automatically go to the place of single parent homes, but being fatherless comes in many forms. You can be deemed “fatherless” even when your father is in the home Lacking a father’s protection and support Not knowing the identity of one’s father Not having a father living Shirl and Natty have two very different experiences,...

Stop letting people tell you that you gotta fake it til you make it. …because YOU DON’T have to do that, sis. There is nothing cute or praise worthy about faking anything. Listen, I get it. Life will suck the happy right out of you. As a matter of fact, it will suck YOU out of your life. Anger, sorrow, grief, guilt, shame, feelings of abandonment and rejection — all of that will eat away at your capacity to live a good life if you don’t process those feelings and emotions. And just in case you’r...

Hey y’all! Season 3 is about to be LIT because we’re talking ALL THINGS healing. If you’re ready to set yourself free from the guilt, shame and blame of unfortunate circumstances (past or present), you don’t want to miss any of season three’s episodes!

How do you teach your Black Son how to thrive in a country where modern day Jim Crow laws and the school-to-prison pipeline are very serious realities? Randi B and I both know from personal experience that rearing a black son is a daunting task in and of itself. Couple that with raising him in a world that ridicules, dishonors and discounts him simply because of the color of his skin, and you have an even greater challenge on your hands. In today’s episode take a deep dive into how black moms d...